Gun Ownership

Citizens’ opinions on gun ownership are torn by the amount of shootings. Between 1993 and 2008, most people surveyed said it was important to have more control on owning guns than to have less. Since 2009, the opinions have been leaning towards an even poll. 49% of people think it’s better to have less restrictions compared to the 45% who think it is more important to control gun ownership. The two main aspects of gun control are the requirements to buy a gun and the gun types available for purchase. No matter the circumstances, there should be laws on these dangerous weapons that can take lives.

The requirements to buy a gun can vary between states. Most states, though, have similar requirements. These include being 21 years of age or older to buy a handgun or a pistol-grip shotgun. You have to be at least 18 years of age or older to buy a shotgun or a rifle. The age to be able to buy ammunition is the same age as you need to be to buy for the corresponding gun. In addition, you must pass the National Instant Criminal Background Check. An I.D. is required and it cannot be expired; the address on the I.D. must match the one listed on the background check. Some states, such as Texas, will only sell handguns to people with a Texas license/I.D. Texas allows residents from other states to buy shotguns and rifles as long as they do not conflict with the state laws. The only illegal guns to purchase are automatic or machine guns, sawed off shotguns, and guns with silencers.

An organization that wants more freedom for gun ownership is the National Rifle Association (NRA). They do not want stricter laws on requirements for gun ownership. These citizens stick by the 2nd Amendment of our Constitution, the right to keep and bear arms. The NRA believes that everyone has a right to bear arms. Therefore, they conclude banning gun shows and banning semi-automatic weapons is not the answer. However, putting a security guard in every school is one solution the NRA supports. They also believe if people buy more guns than normal, the number of crimes will not increase. In conclusion, the NRA does not want Congress to pass more laws restricting the gun ownership rights.

Most of the citizens who want stricter gun ownership laws believe the exact opposite. They believe when more citizens buy guns, the crime rate will increase. They also want to ban gun shows so people cannot just buy guns. In addition, they want laws which make it illegal to carry guns on city properties. People who want more gun control believe banning semi-automatic weapons will help decline the mass shootings. In conclusion, citizens for more gun ownership laws want laws restricting the type of guns bought and where they can be carried.

I believe there needs to be a focus on gun control. Over the past 30 years there has been 62 mass shootings, 7 of them were in 2012. This is the most shootings over the last 30 years. Alarmingly, 75% of the shootings acquired their gun legally. Therefore, laws need to be improved on gun ownership if people are legally getting guns and then using them to take innocent lives. The last notable federal gun law was the Assault Weapons Ban in 1994. This law made it illegal to let citizens have semiautomatic guns and magazines along with 19 other specific firearms. However, the law was banned within a couple months. Even with all the shootings, Congress has had little response. When laws are not made and gun ownership is not addressed, there are going to be more shootings. The problem is not going to fix itself.

Join the Discussion

This was a great article, Ross! I really appreciated this point of view and how well you articulated your stance. What exactly do you think should be done in order to prevent shootings? Banning automatic weapons or guns altogether? Interesting article.